Who's Going Home With You Tonight
by Dawn Bently
Summary: Albus looked from Rose to Scorpius before he rose from his seat and moved to stand between the two friends. He knew he would regret moving into the line of fire, but somebody had to.


Song is Who's Going Home With You Tonight by Trapt

Hope you like, please review.

* * *

**X**

Don't think we ever really got it right

Both you and I have always kept it bottled up inside

Can you show me what it feels like to give yourself away?

Why can't I hold onto you?

There is no one around who picks me up when I'm down like you do

And when you can't hear a sound will the silence drown you too?

**X**

Scorpius' eyes scanned the Great Hall as he entered for dinner. Naturally, he started at the end of the Gryffindor table and looked all the way down in search of a head of red curls. More than once, he faulted but found it was a false alarm. There were far too many Weasleys or Potters which had red hair, and Scorpius deemed it misleading, especially when he was in search of one specific girl. When he could not spot her, he made his way towards the Slytherin table and sat at the first available space, not bothering to scan his own House table the way he had the Gryffindor table.

"You won't even sit with your best friend?" A voice called from the side. Scorpius tore his eyes from the Gryffindor table to glance over, only to find one Gryffindor missing from the Gryffindor table.

"Albus." Scorpius said as he turned back to the table on the other side of the Great Hall. "I didn't see you there." Scorpius told him as he slide over and made room for the Gryffindor. Though most of the Slytherins weren't too keen of Albus' presence, none wanted the hassle that came with bothering Harry Potter's son. The entire school had learned that the hard way some few years ago with James had his own run in with a few Slytherins.

"You didn't look." Albus replied and Scorpius shrugged in response. "She's not there, so just spare yourself, and try eating for once." Albus told him and Scorpius rolled his eyes as he turned to face his fellow seventh year.

"Why do you always assume I'm looking for her?"

"Why did you assume I was talking about her?" Albus replied and Scorpius rolled his eyes again before turning his attention to the food in front of him.

"We had a bit of a…" Scorpius started but trailed off as he racked his mind for the right word. Not only was he speaking to his closest friend, but also to Rose Weasley's cousin. Though any word might have passed when speaking to his friend, Scorpius was secretly afraid of what might happen should he use the wrong word and Rose find out.

"Fight?" Albus asked but Scorpius shook his head.

"Somewhere between battle and war."

Albus laughed loudly as he drew in a deep breath and turned to face Scorpius. "You didn't start it did you?"

"No. Not exactly." Scorpius responded. "Technically, the guy who had her pressed against the wall started it."

"Scorpius." Albus groaned as he dropped his fork and turned to him. "Are you out of your mind? She's allowed to date."

"I never said she couldn't."

"Then what exactly did you say?"

"I'd rather not-"

"Malfoy."

Scorpius froze as he slowly turned and raised his gaze to the entrance of the Great Hall. Rose Weasley stood in her school robe, but her shirt was not tucked in and a little crooked around her neck, though Scorpius didn't dare say a word as the obviously angry witch stormed towards the Slytherin table.

"Rosie."

"Don't." Rose said sharply as Scorpius rose to his feet, his lips parted and ready to defend himself. He was vaguely aware that the area around them had gone particularly quite, probably so everybody could hear a little better. He knew better than anyone, that rumors were more easily spread if everyone could hear the argument more clearly.

"I didn't do anything."

"You are so conceited, Malfoy. What makes you think you can make decisions for me? It's not your place!"

"I didn't do anything!" Scorpius replied then turned down to Albus, in search of backup, which never came.

"Like hell you didn't do anything." Rose replied. "You're just so full of yourself, aren't you? Acting like you can strut through the school as though you own it," Rose spoke harshly as she started to turn and walk away, but Scorpius hadn't had the proper chance to defend himself. With that in mind, he walked along the Slytherin table, until he reached the end and started to follow her towards the middle of the Great Hall.

"Why don't you climb off your high horse before you come yelling at me, Rosie." Scorpius told her strongly, and though he wasn't exactly yelling, he was sure nearly the whole school could hear him. Leave it to some fight to actually quiet the entire school. In the back of his mind, he bitterly remembered that the school hadn't been this quiet since the Headmaster's speech in the beginning of the school year.

"Don't call me Rosie!"

"Don't yell at me."

"You deserve it."

"Well, then Rosie, I don't know what else to say to you."

"How about, I'm sorry for acting like a complete arse and I'll do my best to actually be a friend." Rose replied and Scorpius only stared down at her, one eye brow raised.

"Well, if we're going to start lying-"

"Start?" Rose stopped him. "You started a long time ago, Scorpius Malfoy. Since the whole freaking school is listening," She paused as she motioned to the four table watching them, though neither dared breaking eye contact to so much as glance to the side. It was unnecessary anyway. Both were completely aware every pair of eyes in the room were glued to them. "Maybe we should take a tally of all the times you've lied."

"Name one time I've lied to you." Scorpius replied.

Rose laughed as she took a step back from him, one eyebrow raised. "I can think of several, and unless you want everyone else to know your dirty little secrets, perhaps you should stop pushing me. Because you know," Rose paused as she took another step closer to the Gryffindor table and away from Scorpius. "From up here, on the Gryffindor high horse, as you like to call it, people don't actually like to be lied to. I'm not quite sure how those things work in the Slytherin Dungeon."

"No," Scorpius laughed as he eyed her carefully. "In the Dungeons we just sit around contemplating which Gryffindors and best suited for the top ten list of suck-ups and know-it-alls."

"And I'm on a high horse?" Rose replied but Scorpius narrowed his eyes at her. Uncomfortable silence fell around them as they fought, doing their best to ignore the sexual tension nearly everybody in the room could feel except them. At least, they felt it but thought of it only as normal, fighting tension.

"I don't know why you're so mad at me all the time."

"You don't know why?" Rose replied. "How about a list of reasons? You're conceited. You're only concerned with yourself. You hog the bathroom in the morning making sure your hair is perfect. Which is completely a waste of time since you snog the first whore who crosses your path anyway."

"That's not fair!" Scorpius yelled back at her as she turned to leave the Great Hall. "And now you're going to make me chase you to defend myself?" He yelled at her as he followed her out of the Great Hall. "What about every little annoying thing that you do? Not everybody can be your picture perfect idea of perfection, Rosie."

**X**

It had been late when Rose finally returned to the Head's dormitory. She'd stayed out with the idea that when she did finally go back, she would have the Common Room to herself, and avoid anymore contact with Scorpius. That hope, however, was crushed when she passed the entryway, only to find a head of flawless blonde hairs sitting before the fire.

"Out past curfew?" Scorpius replied but Rose rolled her eyes and continued to walk down the Common Room, intent on passing him and going to her room without saying a word. "Hey!" Scorpius called out as he stood up and turned to her. Rose stopped and drew in a breath, knowing he was expecting something, anything.

"Goodnight." She told him before she started walking again, not once turning towards him.

"So that's it then?" Scorpius asked. "Goodnight? Nothing at all you have to say? That's got to be a first."

"What do you want me to say, Malfoy?" Rose turned back to him, but he paused before responding. He hadn't been expecting swollen and bruised lips, or dark eyes. Deciding her choice of male company was not the best conversation to have, he stepped towards her, a much softer look on his face than before.

"Were you crying?"

"None of your business."

Scorpius scoffed as he continued to near her. "How is that none of my business? It may have slipped your mind, Rose, but we did used to be friends. Until the last two years, anyway. I still care about you, and I know you were crying."

"Whatever, Scorpius." She told him as she turned to go towards her room.

"Not whatever." Scorpius replied as he reached out and took hold of her wrist. "What happened?"

Rose drew in a deep breath as she looked up in Scorpius' eyes. She noted they were a soft blue color, a color they hadn't been when he looked at her for over a year. Lately, the only Scorpius she ever saw had cold grey eyes. They were eyes that held no emotion and no affection.

"He broke up with me."

"Why?" Scorpius demanded.

"For you, Scorpius." Rose told him as she drew her hand back. "He said he didn't want to get in between us. He didn't want to complicate our relationship."

"That's rubbish."

"Well, why don't you go tell him that?" Rose suggested before she turned away again, intent on finally reaching her room. She half expected Scorpius to pull her back, but it never happened.

"I'm sorry, Rose." Scorpius told her and she glanced back at him, once more. "I know you liked him."

"Do you even know what that means, Scorpius?" She scoffed as she turned back to face him completely. "Do you have the slightest idea what it is to actually like a person? Not just kissing them whenever it's convenient. And not moving from one low self esteem to the next. Do you know what it feels like to actually care a lot about one single person?"

Scorpius gritted his teeth as he stared down at Rose. Though they still had a good five feet between them, he felt as though she were standing right in front of him as she personally attacked him. Rose only watched as his cold grey eyes returned, and she had expected that much, but a wave of uncertainty washed over her when the grey faded and the blue returned.

"No." Scorpius finally said as he let himself relax. He knew there was little, if any, reason to lie to her anymore. He'd been vulnerable around her before, and he knew that this moment shouldn't have been any different. It shouldn't have been, and yet it was. It felt completely different. Though he wanted to just open up to her like he had in the past, part of him couldn't help but brace himself for the verbal lash he knew was coming.

"Then don't tell me that it'll be alright." Rose responded, her voice softer than he expected. Silently, he was lashing at himself for expecting the worst from her, but after their display in the Great Hall, he figured she was probably feeling the same way. It was almost difficult not to argue and fight with one another.

"Never intended on it."

Silence followed. A long, uncomfortable, unnerving moment of silence. The only sound in the room was the flickering of the fire, and after that had become too much to bear, the sounds of Rose's footsteps was added to the room. Scorpius eyed her as she slowly neared him, but stopped once she stood nearly two feet in front of him. Deciding, it was unfair for her to come completely to him, Scorpius stepped forward as well.

"I'm sorry." Scorpius told her softly as they stood only a foot apart. He was gazing down at her and she slowly looked up to meet his gaze. "I guess I never really wanted only one person because part of me knew it came with pain."

"It's not all pain, Scorpius." Rose responded and he nodded softly.

"It doesn't look fun from over here."

Rose actually found herself laughing. "You always had a knack for making me feel better."

"I don't know why." Scorpius replied. "It seems as though I've had the opposite effect on you lately."

"Not just lately." Rose replied as she shook her head and peered downward. "It's been almost two years since things have changed Scorpius."

"What changed?"

"I don't know." Rose answered truthfully as she looked up at him again. His soft blue eyes were once again full of emotion like they had in the beginning of their Hogwarts career, and Rose couldn't help but feel relief at how easily she could return to the friendship they once had. "Something changed."

"I think were the ones that changed." Scorpius responded as he gazed down at her gentle face. Her red curls were framing her face, but also fell past her shoulders. He knew they had changed. They had grown up, but he could not understand how maturity could've driven them apart. He refused to believe maturity had been the culprit.

"Maybe." She whispered as she gave a soft nod. "It's late, Scorpius. I'm going to go to bed."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

**X**

Who's going home with you tonight?

Was it real or am I part of your collection?

Have you crossed the line?

Who's going home with you tonight?

Oh I feel like you're an open invitation

Is this how we say goodbye?

**X**

Rose didn't know what it was, and neither did Scorpius. They didn't want to know what it was, but they knew something had changed that night. They weren't quite so angry at one another all the time. Their natural differences led to small arguments, but Albus was no long subjected to the large displays they used to have. Instead, Albus was no longer forced to divide his time between his cousin and his friend and the three could enjoy time together, the way they used to years ago. The three, as well as the entire school, enjoyed the peace that came with the unspoken agreement Scorpius and Rose seemed to have made that night, and they even thought the new friendship would last until the end of their school year.

The peace, however, ended once Rose caught the eye of a rather charming Ravenclaw boy. He'd joined them at dinner once, and Rose had expected it to be awkward. She had not, however, expected every moment that Scorpius was around David to be awkward. Awkward was the word she'd used when she spoke to Albus on the matter, but Albus could only stare at her with a blank expression on his face.

Before she could question him, Scorpius came through the entrance of the Head's dormitory, and had attracted Rose's attention. Though she had wanted to question him about his feelings towards David, the girl on his arm tore Rose's eyes from him. Albus looked from Rose to Scorpius, then his eyes fell onto the seventh year, before he rose from his seat and moved to stand between the two friends. He knew he would regret moving into the line of fire, but somebody had to.

"Perhaps you two should talk about that later, Rose." Albus told her as he faced her, but her attention was on the tall blonde girl. The Slytherin girl. The pure-blood girl whom Rose recalled from their first year. The girl whose clothes were a little too form fitting for Rose's tastes.

"Talk about what?" Scorpius asked.

"Why you don't like David." Rose answered and Albus groaned.

"Yes, later." Scorpius agreed as he turned to the girl, his arm around her waist as he lead her further into the Common Room.

"Fine." Rose snapped. "Let's talk about her. From what I remember, she's not too fond of half-bloods or muggle borns."

"Rose." Albus turned to her, as did Scorpius' grey eyes.

"Well, I'd like to talk about something."

"How about the necessity of medication for mental cases." Scorpius suggested but Rose scoffed as she stared up at him. The girl beside him moved out of the line of fire and quickly found a seat on the couches, but Albus threw himself in the middle.

"Rose, why don't you go spend time with David, and leave Scorpius with uh… his company." Albus suggested.

"I'm not leaving my own Common Room because he wants to have his way with some girl he doesn't give a damn about." Rose spoke as though she were talking to Albus, but her eyes were glued to Scorpius. He stared back at her, ignoring the calls from the girl seated behind him.

"And that's opposed to David, who actually cares about you?" Scorpius asked.

"Don't imply a damn thing about David. You don't even know him. You avoid all contact with him, and even when he is around you pretend as though he's not!"

"I see what you're mad about," Scorpius responded as he took a step towards her. "You'd like me to treat him with the same hospitality you treat my dates with, right?" Scorpius' voice was full of sarcasm as he motioned to the girl sitting on the couch, watching out of the corner of her eye.

"No, I'm the one doing that."

"You're unbelievable, Rose. I don't know what it is that you want, so until you tell me, you can't get mad at me for not knowing."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rose snapped and Scorpius scoffed as he turned his back to her and went for the girl.

"It means you can't go running around with some idiot then get mad at me for having a date. I haven't once hexed that stupid little Ravenclaw, so I think Sophie deserves just a little nicer of a welcome, don't you think?"

"So you would like to hex David?"

"Yeah, I would!" Scorpius yelled as he turned his attention completely to Rose. "He doesn't give a shit about you, Rose. He just wants to get some."

"Sort of like you?"

The room fell silent, leaving Sophie and Albus extremely uncomfortable, though Scorpius and Rose hardly noticed their presence anymore. "You have no idea how I treat the girls I date, so don't make any implication about what you don't know a damn thing about."

"I know you run through girls faster than dirty clothes." Rose responded, but regretted the comment when she saw his eyes flashing, the grey darker than they had ever been before.

"And what about you, Rose? Do you actually care about those guys? Or do you just like the attention?"

"You're an arse."

"And you're what?" Scorpius replied as he took another step closer to her. "I bet you've never even kissed a guy you actually liked. I bet you've never been close to a guy you made you nervous, or made you forget about everything else."

"What makes you think that, Scorpius?" Rose responded, watching how dangerously close he had come towards her. "What makes you think you know me that well?"

"Because I do. You don't look at any of those guys any differently than you do your own cousin!"

Rose scoffed as she rose her eyebrow at him. "Well, if we're going by looks, then I think it's safe to say you don't give a damn about your girl for the night. You looked at her like you look at anybody. Your eyes were grey when you walked in." Rose told him, he voice lower, almost a whisper as she stared into his still grey, but softening eyes.

"My eyes are grey."

"They weren't always." Rose answered. "Your eyes are blue, Scorpius, when you care about somebody. Your eyes are blue when you look at me and Albus, and everyone else gets the cold Scorpius."

The room fell silent once more as Scorpius and Rose stared at one another. Albus slowly approached them, this time his face showing more caution than before. He knew the truth behind Rose's words, and part of him feared Scorpius' response. As he neared them, however, he saw the look in Scorpius' eyes. He knew the truth also, even as the blonde girl sat behind them in the background waiting for his attention.

The silence had gotten to Rose once more, and she drew in a deep breath, her stomach tightening as she braced herself for what was next. Instead of the words she knew he wanted to say, Scorpius only stared down at Rose until his eyes started to change once more, just as they had that night some months ago. Rose let out the breath she didn't know she was holding until Scorpius stepped back from her. He took another step before he turned his back to her and started towards his bedroom.

"Scorpius," Sophie called out and he stopped, his hand on the door handle, and turned to the girl who was rising to her feet.

"I don't feel like company tonight." He told her in the cold tone Rose had expected towards her. Without so much another glance, Scorpius walked into his bedroom and shut the door behind him. Before Sophie had even moved from the seating area, the loud click of Scorpius' lock could be heard like an echoing chime.

**X**

"Are you going to talk to him?" Albus asked as he glanced up at Rose. She sat across from him in their compartment on the train, but she hadn't said a word since they left Hogwarts. Instead, she had filed onto the train, picked a compartment, sat down and stared out the window. "I can tell you want to."

"I don't have anything to say to him." Rose spoke for the first time, and she found her voice hard to force out of her throat.

"That's a lie." Albus replied as he shut the book he had been reading and threw it to the side. He leaned forward, his eyes on his cousin, but she didn't turn to face him.

"How could you know?"

"Because you told him the truth that day, Rose. You were right. He didn't care about Suzie."

"Sophie." Rose corrected, though not even she knew why it was relevant.

"You're the only one who he cares about that much, Rose."

"You."

"Not always." Albus responded. "Not like you. You told him the truth, and he ran screaming from it. Don't sit there and tell me that you have nothing to say about that. I know you do."

"Well, obviously he doesn't, Albus." Rose snapped back as she turned to him. "Otherwise he'd be here, trying to talk to me."

"I think we've proved you're the one who's willing to say what no one else even wants to think." Albus responded and Rose let out a puff of air as she leaned back in her seat.

"Well, he's a man, Albus. If he actually does care about me, he should come and tell me. Why do I have to chase him?"

"Are you admitting that you care about him?" Albus asked but Rose narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm saying that he cares about me. You've said so yourself."

"Arguing are we?" A smooth male voice floated through the compartment, but only Albus looked. Rose turned out the window. She didn't need to look. She recognized his voice. She'd recognize Scorpius' voice through a crowd at Diagon Alley.

"How are you?" Albus asked as he slid over, leaving Scorpius the seat across from Rose, who still hadn't turned at all. She was so focused on the scenery, and intent on blocking Scorpius out, that only Albus saw Scorpius' lingering stare on the woman.

"I'm fine." He responded before he turned to Albus and motioned to the door with a slight nod of his head. Albus nodded as he rose from his seat and reached for the handle.

"I'm going to go get a drink." He announced before he pulled the door open.

"Albus-" Rose called for him but he shut the door behind him before Rose could guilt him into staying. With a heavy sigh, she turned to Scorpius, who was already watching her with soft blue eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"About that night."

Rose scoffed as she turned away from him, shaking her head. "Leave it to a Slytherin to wait a month before talking about something."

"I'm sorry." Scorpius responded and Rose slowly turned back to him. It was a rare occurrence for him to apologize, and Rose knew it only happened when he truly was sorry for something he had done.

"About waiting or about that night?"

Scorpius narrowed he eyes at her before he answered slowly. "About that night."

Rose scoffed as a dry laugh escaped her. Had it been anyone else, she knew, she'd have them on their way with a roll of tape in a desperate attempt at fixing their snapped wand. Scorpius was different. She might have only said she was different for him, but she had always known he was different for her too.

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because you were right." Scorpius answered. "You've always been something more than everyone else."

"And yet you run through your line of girls like nothing else."

"Well, I think it's safe to say I care very little for them."

"Then why?"

"Why not?" He replied. "Otherwise I'd be sitting around by myself all the time."

"Don't you want just one person?" Rose asked as she leaned forward in her seat and looked straight into Scorpius' currently blue eyes. She knew the right subjects would literally push him into shades of grey, but she had questions that she wanted answers to no matter how upset it made him.

"Yes." He answered as he moved to sit in the seat beside her. "But the problem with one person is that, they actually have to want you too."

"I don't think that's a problem for you, Scorpius. The problem for you is liking them." Rose responded, her eyes following him as he moved, then settling on him when he sat beside her.

"Well, there's only one person I'd want that with." Scorpius answered, "And I don't we'd ever work, Rose."

"How can you decide that for us?" Rose responded. He'd expected more of a fight against him and her feelings for him, but as he watched her, he realized she must've come to the same conclusion after that night that he had.

"Because I know you."

"But this is the first time you've actually talked to me since that night. How can you even think that you know me well enough to decide whether or not I feel the same way?"

"Feel the same way about me as I do about you? Or feel the same way about a relationship?"

"Both." She responded and Scorpius let out a laugh.

"Alright. Then how do you feel about me?"

"I fell that you're thick headed and a stubborn, spoiled little brat." Rose responded and Scorpius nodded along.

"I'll give you stubborn." He told her. "But how do you feel about me romantically?"

"I feel that you're a coward."

"I'd like to point out, that I am in fact a Slytherin and not a Gryffindor, so that particular trait cannot be held against me. But continuing, can you say one positive statement about me?" Scorpius sighed in exasperation as he hung his head.

"I think you're cute." Rose said and Scorpius peered up at her, eyes narrowed cautiously. When the smile appeared across Rose's lips, Scorpius sat up and moved closer to her, his own smile appeared across his lips.

"And that means?" Scorpius ventured and Rose laughed as she reached out to pull him into a hug. She shut her eyes as she buried her face in his neck, feeling the way his arms wrapped around her.

"I missed you." Rose whispered before she pulled back.

"I missed you too," Scorpius replied as his blue eyes gazed into her brown ones. "But that still doesn't mean any functional relationship between us could ever work."

"You've heard stories about my family, Scorpius. I don't need functional."

"That's not what I meant." Scorpius responded, his voice far more solemn than her light hearted tone.

"Then what do you mean?" Rose's voice fell as she stared at Scorpius. He shook his head softly as he reached out to cup her cheek. Though she had never pictured her first kiss with Scorpius in a middle of a conversation such as the one they were trying to have, all of her thoughts on any other matter were quickly lost when his thumb brushed her lips.

Nothing else had a place in her mind as Scorpius inched closer to her, and beside herself, only Scorpius existed when his lips touched hers. The contact had been gentle, barely there, at first, and though that was what Scorpius had meant, their pent up passions had unleashed nearly instantly. It had been a desperate kiss, her hands grabbing at his face, then his hair and his clothes. His hands, too, were reaching for her, for any contact with her. With practiced ease, he lifted her by the waist and shifted her so that she sat on his lap, her knees on the bench on each side of him, and not once did their lips part.

Both felt the sting from lack of oxygen, but seven years of lack of passion had overruled that need. They continued as though nothing else would be around them if they stopped, and only when Rose felt an unbearable need for oxygen, did she finally part from his lips, but after a quick gasp for air, his lips found their place against the skin of her neck.

"Scorpius," Rose breathed out his name as she tightened her grip around his neck. She let out a soft groan in pleasure while she move one of her hands to his neck, her fingers tangling in his blonde curls. After a few more kisses, Scorpius pulled back and leaned his head back against the wall. Rose only gazed down at him until he nudged her to the side and she climbed off of his lap.

"We can't." Scorpius forced the painful words from his throat, but he was staring down at the ground. He didn't want to face her. He didn't want to see what his words would do to her. Despite wanting to avoid eye contact, he did turn to her when she reached out and cupped his cheek, forcing him to turn to her.

"How do you know?" Rose asked him softly. "How can you know unless we actually try?"

Scorpius parted his lips, ready with an answer, but the sound of the door sliding open stopped him. Rose turned away, doing her best to ignore the blonde pure-blood in the entrance. "Sorpy," Her playful voice was like screeches on Rose's ears, but she only inwardly cringed at the sound as she waited for Scorpius to dismiss her so they could finish their conversation.

"Come on, I've been waiting for you." She laughed. "We're going to be reaching the train station any minute. I can't wait for you to meet my parents."

Rose pretended the words hadn't been said, but found it increasingly difficult the longer Scorpius remained silent. Finally she turned back to Scorpius, expecting the blue eyed one who had just admitted his feelings for her, but instead she found the grey eyed Slytherin rising to his feet.

"I think we both know," Scorpius told her as he gazed down at her.

"So that's it?" Rose did her best to keep a steady voice, but failed. Part of her was glad for it, for it did at least make his eyes flicker and for the briefest of moments, he still seemed to want to be the Scorpius she wanted with her. At least she knew he still existed. "This is how we say goodbye?"

"Yeah," Scorpius nodded before he turned and followed Sophie, though Rose heeded that she was dragging him away from the Scorpius who wanted Rose despite blood status.

**X**

Keeping secrets somewhere down below

I wish you had the heart to tell me that you sold your soul

So many things you couldn't let me know

You had to run away

Why can't I hold onto you?

**X**

"Rose! Albus!" She heard their names being called over the roar of the crowd at the train station, but Rose could hardly smile, even after finishing her schooling. She knew her parents were happy and wanted to know everything, but Rose wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

"We're so proud of you, Rose." Her uncle's voice caught her attention as she followed Albus through the crowds to their family.

"Thanks Harry." Rose replied without so much as looking up at him or giving him a hug. She stalked passed him and Albus came towards him soon after.

"What's wrong with her?" Harry asked, looking at his son.

"Long story." Albus said with a sigh before he embraced his father.

"Rose!" Scorpius' voice called out and Albus pulled back from his father's arms to turn and look. Rose had retraced her steps as well, and the two stood side by side, but only Albus was looking for the head of blonde hair. A moment later, he stepped off the train and started towards Rose, who had started to turn away, but Scorpius caught up to her and took hold of her arm.

Before another word could be said, Rose turned back, swinging her arm until her hand connected with the smooth pale skin of his cheek. "Rose," Scorpius groaned as he tried to look up and talk to her, but she pulled her arm free and walked away. "Rose," Scorpius called out once more, but Albus stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Just leave it." Albus warned.

"Why?" Scorpius demanded as he turned back, hardly noticing Harry Potter standing only a few feet away.

"For one, you deserve it." Albus responded and Scorpius groaned.

"No," Scorpius started but Albus rose an eyebrow at him.

"Really?"

"Ok, yes," Scorpius replied sharply. "Just… give her a message for me when she cools down."

"No." Albus took a step back and shook his head violently. "Absolutely not. I don't want any part of this at all. You are not dragging me into the middle of _that_."

"Albus, come on," Scorpius stared at the black haired man who groaned and stepped towards him.

"What?" He sighed.

"Just…" Scorpius leaned forward and with hand on Albus' shoulder, they appeared to be saying their goodbyes. "Tell her that my parents arranged a marriage between me and Sophie."

"No," Albus shook his head strongly as he stepped back from him. "No. No. No."

"Why the hell not?" Scorpius demanded.

"What do you think? I'd prefer not be hexed my first summer out of Hogwarts. Better you than me."

"Because you're under the impression she'll ever talk to me again?" Scorpius replied with narrowed eyes and Albus groaned as he thought of what was coming.

"Why couldn't you tell her?"

"We were interrupted," Scorpius answered before a shrill voice carried through the train station.

"Scorpy!"

"You can hex me right now, if you tell her." Scorpius offered as he looked to Albus. "Just send me straight to St. Mungo's. And get her banned from the room."

Albus laughed as he eyed Scorpius. "That'd get me points with Rose and you."

"She calls me' Scorpy', Albus. 'Scorpy.' She actually calls me that in normal conversation."

"Your problem, not mine." Albus responded as he patted Scorpius on the shoulder and brushed past him as he and his father walked towards the rest of their family.

**X**

"Hugo?" Hermione's voice was faint to Albus' ears as he made his way up the staircase, but he paused for a moment. "Do you know what's wrong with your sister?"

"I don't know," The boy mumbled back and Albus rolled his eyes at the sound of the red head shoving food into his mouth as if a tomorrow did not exist. "I heard something about Scorpius Malfoy and her getting into it towards the end of the year."

Albus sighed as he continued up the stairs, still amazed at how quickly news seemed to travel at Hogwarts. Pushing the thought to the deepest part of his mind, Albus cautiously neared Rose's bedroom door. Now that they were allowed to cast spells outside of school, part of him feared some protection or privacy spell she'd set around her bedroom. Last thing Albus needed on his first week of freedom was to fall victim to a powerful witch's depression induced spell.

"Rose?" He called out as he gently knocked on the door. He received no response and with a deep breath, he opened the door, bracing himself for her wrath.

"Go-" Rose started but stopped when she saw Albus' head of black hair in her mirror. "Al."

"Hi." He responded as he shut the door behind him and slowly neared her. She sat at the vanity table, but her eyes were casted out the window to the side. Albus took a seat on her bed and turned to her, but didn't say a word. He knew eventually she would say everything that had been eating at her since their train ride home.

"I don't understand." Rose finally said, her voice breaking as she turned to look at Albus. He held a hand out to her and she took it before she stood and moved to sit beside him on the bed. "It makes no sense, Albus. Who would do that? Why would he tell me that he liked me and then just… run off with that… whore?"

Albus couldn't help the snicker from escaping at her description of Sophie. "I got a letter for him yesterday."

"I don't care."

"He wants us to meet him in Diagon Alley."

"No." Rose shook her head as turned to her cousin. "What would make you think I'd want to see him?"

"Well, he wanted me to tell you something, but I don't want to."

"Why don't you want to?"

"It's something he should've told you." Albus replied, his face carrying more seriousness than Rose cared for. She drew in a deep breath as she turned more completely towards Albus, one leg bent on the bed in front of her, the other leg falling off the edge.

"It'd be easier hearing it from you." Rose replied, her voice soft.

Albus drew it a deep breath as he looked down at Rose. She could see the nervousness in his eyes, but she was sure the same look was in her eyes as well. From the way Albus carried on about the particular piece of news, Rose couldn't help but expect the worst.

"Scorpius is going to marry Sophie because his parents arranged the marriage." Albus told her, but Rose responded in no way at all. She simply froze where she sat, her eyes boring holes into Albus' eyes. Had a single tear not escaped the corner of her eye, Albus might've mistaken her for dead.

"Why couldn't he tell me?" Rose tried to ask, but her voice was soft and broken. She wasn't even sure Albus had understood what she said but neither seemed to notice much. "Why does he always have to have some secrets?"

"He really wants you to go to meet with him, Rose." Albus said with a heavy sigh as Rose put her forehead on his shoulder.

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Rose repeated as she sat up and stared in Albus' eyes with an accusing look in her own. "How the hell does he expect me to just show up and talk to him a day after I find out some crucial information he failed to mention after he snoged the hell out of me on the train?" Rose demanded but Albus had no response whatsoever.

"Uh…" Albus cleared his throat as he watched the woman carefully. "Well, in his defense, I did tell him that I told you four days ago, when I hadn't actually told you yet. In fact I wasn't even planning on telling you at all until you said you weren't going to meet him."

"God I hate you both." Rose exclaimed as she rose from her seat and started to pace about the room. "Who the hell is he to spin me in circles because he doesn't know what he does or does not want?"

"I feel I should remind you that he wanted you, but was forced with her."

"Whose side are you on?" Rose demanded as she glared down at Albus, one eye brow raised. He quickly sealed his lips and with a soft wave of his hand, motioned for Rose to continue.

"And you, Albus Severus Potter, cannot decide which bits of information you can or cannot withhold simply because it may make you uncomfortable. I am your cousin. We have been best friends for how many years? Don't you want me to be happy? Remotely happy?"

Albus gaped at the woman standing in front of him. How the hell did she jump from not telling her about Scorpius' situation to not wanting her to be happy, he would never know. All he did know, was that he needed to get Rose and Scorpius together once more, because the rational Rose Weasley he once knew was not the woman Scorpius left behind on that fateful train ride.

"You're insane." Albus told her flatly and Rose rolled her eyes, groaned, and fell onto the bed beside her. "We're going tomorrow, because he broke you and you are just not the same." Albus declared as he rose from his seat and took his turn to look down at Rose.

"Don't be ridiculous," Rose told him as she stood up too, but made for the door. Albus followed closely behind.

"I'm serious, Rose." Albus told her. "Ever since sixth year, I've been dragged into the middle of every little petty argument you two have ever had." Rose tried to escape Albus' rambling, hoping that if she lead him into the company of her family, he would stop, but even as they neared the staircase, he continued. "You want to know why you and him started arguing, Rose? You turned sixteen and liked each other," Albus called out and Rose groaned, though she hoped her parents were just around the corner. Albus would stop then, she was sure.

"There you are, dear," her mother's sweet voice was like music on Rose's ears, but Albus' voice continued anyway.

"So it's not my problem, Rose. The only problem I ever had was that you two fell in love with each other but refused to admit it, and dragged me into the middle of it every time!"

"Really?" Rose snapped as she turned back to Albus. "Is that what happened, Albus? Are you so experienced in that area that you know for a fact that an idiot like him could actually fall in love? Or am I the idiot in this picture for falling for him in the first place?"

"Well, I'm your best friends. To me you're both raving idiots."

"Coming from the silly little boy who couldn't pass on a little piece of information?" Rose replied and Albus sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Rose." Hermione called out and Albus slowly turned his attention to her, before Rose finally did turn back.

**X**

It's getting harder to sit here alone

I've been waiting, I've been waiting, and you still ain't home

I have never ever felt so low

I've been thinking, I've been thinking, Oh where did you go?

**X**

Deep inside him, Scorpius knew very little could be done now. He was unsure how much talking to Rose would do anyway. According to Albus, she'd known about the arrangement for some days, but he heard nothing from her. No so much a piece of paper with her name just to prove she at least thought of him, even just for a split moment in time.

As he sat, he drew in a deep breath, hoping it would not be much longer before the Weasley-Potter duo arrived. With that though, Scorpius could not help but wonder how it was even possible to always see one Potter and one Weasley together. It seemed improbable, and yet Scorpius knew first hand that it occurred.

With nothing else to occupy him, Scorpius reached out for his water glass and took a sip, as he forced his eyes to focus on one object. His constant turning in search of her perfect head of red hair was starting to give him a headache. Finally, he spotted the pair coming around a corner of a store, and Scorpius could not help but stare at the two.

Had they not been cousins, they'd have been lovers. That much he was sure of. If it hadn't been for his own feelings for her, and his own thoughts about how perfectly she seemed to fit next to him, he'd have thought Albus Potter and Rose Weasley were a perfect pair. Always lost in their own little world, it seemed. Perhaps, he thought bitterly, that had been why he often felt like the third wheel when he tried to enter the Rose-Albus universe that existed solely for them; outsiders, strictly forbidden.

"Scorpius." Rose said his name first, but he could hardly believe it. He'd been so focused on the fact that she was actually talking to him, that he had somehow managed to miss the tone of her voice that made Albus quickly take the seat across from her.

"Rose," Scorpius replied as he rose from his seat, his soft blue eyes staring down at her with a kind of intensity she attributed to his uncertainty about how she was going to treat him. Had she not been so focused on her own bitter feelings towards him, she might've even swooned at the smoldering look in his eye. Before her hand struck his pale cheek for the second time in a week, she couldn't help but think how fitting the look was with his pointed face.

Rose sat down, and with a slight smile, she peered across at Albus, who remained speechless as he looked from her to Scorpius, who was still on his feet. With a groan he sat down, one hand cradling the cheek Rose had been abusing lately. "I know I deserved the first one. Tell me, exactly, what I did to deserve this one."

"You had Albus tell me something you should've told me yourself, even with some whore attached to your hip. Did it occur to you, Scorpius Malfoy, that Albus might not have ever told me at all? That he would've had me mopping in my bedroom all summer thinking you were psychotic and juggling multiple personalities?"

Albus and Scorpius exchanged looked before they turned to the red headed witch sitting with them. She expected angry or defensive looks from each of them, but instead, she only received smiles. "Why are you two grinning like idiots?" She demanded and they broke into laughter.

"The fact that you are able to insult us both in the same sentence, Rose, means that you are back to your normal self, more or less." Scorpius explained as he genuinely smiled at her. She faced him, but a smile never appeared across her lips. Instead, he only had her brown eyes staring back at him with a look he hadn't seen in them before. Before he decided if it was a good look or bad, he shifted his attention to Albus.

"What are your plans?" Rose asked softly, drawing Scorpius back to her. "About everything."

"Did you want to talk about that now?"

"What difference does now or later make? I'll still hear the same disappointing news, won't I?"

"Nobody said anything about disappointing."

"I guess that was just my own personal view of your fiancée." Rose replied sharply, her voice hanging on the last word in a way that neither her heart, nor his could bare.

"Then we'll talk now." Scorpius forced himself to remain calm and collected as he stood up and held a hand out for her. Rose stood without his help, however, and turned to walk towards the small space between the buildings where she knew they could at least feel some privacy, even if the privacy was false. Scorpius took one look towards Albus who shooed him away with a motion of his hand. Rolling his eyes, Scorpius followed Rose.

"Why?" Rose asked first, without turned towards Scorpius. He followed her into the dark space, but she never turned back to him. Instead, he was forced to reply to the back of her head.

"Why what?"

"Why couldn't you just tell me?"

"I was afraid." Scorpius answered. "I didn't want it to be true. I didn't want to know that you might never be part of my life."

"I've been part of your life for seven years, Scorpius." Rose replied as she finally did turn towards him. "That doesn't just go away. You can't just dismiss me from your life like that. Not me." Rose said, her voice finally breaking, though she was glad it hadn't happened until only Scorpius could hear it.

"I never intended to remove you from my life, Rose." He replied as he tried to reach out for her, but she dodged his outstretched hand. "As if that would've been remotely possible at all."

"So that's it? You were afraid?"

"Well, how do you tell the person you love that you're set to marry someone else?" Scorpius answered and Rose's eyes turned up to his instantly. He watched as she froze, just staring up at him, until she took a step closer.

"And you couldn't at least tell me you loved me?" Rose breathed out.

"We were interrupted." Scorpius whispered back to her as he put on hand on her waist. His other hand cupped her cheek softly. "I wanted to tell you, Rose. I've wanted to tell you since the night you saw Sophie in the Common Room."

"That long?"

"Ever since you made me realize that I would never look at anybody the way I look at you." Scorpius answered before he pressed his lips to hers once more. Rose responded immediately as she wrapped her arms around his neck, desperately wanting to feel more of Scorpius before she lost him to some pure-blooded witch who she knew didn't deserve him. The mere thought made tears appear in her eyes, even as she willed them away, willed herself to simply enjoy Scorpius' affection, willed the world to fade away around them.

"What's wrong?" Scorpius' voice was almost pleading as he pulled away and looked into her eyes. She kept them shut, and they only shut tighter at the feel of his lips kissing away her tears. "Rose, talk to me, please."

"I never had a chance." Rose finally managed to say. Through her uneven breath and broke words, Scorpius still understood her.

"What do you mean?" Scorpius replied. "You've been next to me for seven years, Rose. I think you're the only one who's ever had a chance."

"Not in the end." Rose shook her head as she forced her eyes open and peered into the broken blue eyes in front of her. "By virtue of my parents. My mother, more specifically."

"No," Scorpius' voice was harsher than she had expected, but after the words that she spoke, he could hardly help it. "Don't say that, Rose. Don't ever think that."

"It's true, Scorpius." Rose whispered to him as she tightened her grip around his neck and put her chin on his shoulder. "We never had a chance. That day, seven years ago, on the platform. They told us we never had a chance, Scorpius. Or they might as well have. They pitted us against each other. We should've known."

"Stop," Scorpius ordered as he pulled back and looked into her eyes. "We always have a chance."

"Isn't it over now?" Rose replied, but Scorpius only pinned her against the brick wall of the building in response. "I think your engagement is a very clear ending to anything we might've had."

"I'll do anything, Rose." Scorpius whispered in her ear before he put kisses along her cheek until he reached her lips once more. The kiss lasted only a fraction of a moment because Scorpius still had words on the edge of his tongue which he needed to say before her lips erased them away. "Anything at all you ask of me. Just tell me that maybe one day, we won't be stuck in some dark alley way to do this." Scorpius told her before he planted more kisses along the column of her neck.

"Where would you prefer, then?"

"Perhaps," Scorpius pulled away and stared into her eyes. "In a bedroom. Our bedroom. In our home. Far away from all of this."

"You would run away, just to be with me?"

"Just?" Scorpius replied with a dry laugh. "I highly doubt being with you is a 'just.' Nothing about you is quite so simply put," He told her and she let herself laugh before his lips found hers once more.

"In a month." Rose whispered between their kisses, but Scorpius hadn't heard anything but mindless mumbling.

"What?" He asked as he pulled back and stared down at her.

"One month."

"Until?"

"Until you meet me in Muggle London. At the café in King's Cross Station."

"You're serious aren't you?" Scorpius replied, but the look in his eye was not of uncertainty or hesitation. He had a glow in his soft eyes that made Rose beam back at him. "Of course you're serious."

Rose laughed as she tightened her grip around his neck. "You'll need some money."

"I think I'll manage to set some aside."

"And don't be late."

"I wouldn't dream of it."


End file.
